Sleeping car



R. A. SHIELDS Aug. 23, 1951 SLEEPING CAR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1946 R. A. SHIELDS SLEEPING CAR Filed July 25, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 & N N 4A R v o S m QM m III IQ-M I I I I I Aug. 21, 1951 R, A. SHIELDS 2,564,731

' SLEEPING CAR Filed July 25, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR R A. SHIELDS Aug. 21, 1951 SLEEPING CAR 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 25, 1946 WatM Patented Aug. 21, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12,564,731 SLEEPING CAR Robert A. Shields, Bloomsburg, Ia.-, assignor to American Car and Foundry Company, New

York, Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 25, 1946, Serial No. 686,242

"1 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to sleeping cars in general and in particular to single room sleeping cars in which the rooms are adapted for dual =occup'an'cy when necessary.

Zln recent years the trend in sleeping car construction has been toward the room type of accom'modation. To date the mosteconomical form of room accommodations are those havinga bed 'Lfold'able longitudinally of the car and having a width of approximately thirty-three inches. Due tothe :na-rrowness of this bed it is impossible for two persons to sleep therein with any degree of comfort. However, in order to economize and cut down travel-expenses a considerable number of people are willing to put up with the discomifort for a-short period. Two average sized people readily-sleep with a iairdegree of comfort in whatis oommonly known as-a three-quarter size ,bed, that is, a bed .having a width of approxianately forty-five inches. It is an object, there- ;fore, of the present invention to "so arrange the "bedfin 'a'room'type of car as to give three-quarter size beds on Opposite sides o'f'theaisle,which beds extend longitudinally of the car for maximum assenger comfort.

A further object of -the invention is the "provision of a railway car having roo'm accommodations with sub'stantially three-quarter "size beds therein and so arranged that the rooms may be connected in pairs thus allowing a family of four to travel in comfort and absolute privacy yet at a minimum of expense.

Aye't further object of the invention is the provision of a railway car having room type accommodations on either side of the aisle with the rooms arranged in pairs and access gained thereto through a single aisle door.

still further object of 'the invention is the provision of arailway ear having rooms arranged in pairs on either side or the aisle and separated by stub partitions and" swinging doors which latter hide the toilet facilities when in their fully open position.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a railway ear having room type accommodations so arranged and *eqiii'p'pe'd with beds as to accommodate a total of forty people "in *an eighty-five foot ear. v

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of the renewing description and -acco'mpartying drawings, in which Figs. 1 andZ are sectional views taken through the "c'ar and showing the floor plan, with Fig. 1 showing the right half of the car and Fig. 2 the '"leftha'lfi;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the paired room accommodations;

'4 is a sectional view taken substantially on 'line 4-4 of Fig. 3.;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line .'---5 of Fig. '3; u H h Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on l-ine;6-6 oi-Fig. 3, and I Fig. is a sectional view taken substantially on line 1-1 of Fig. i. Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the car skeleton is formed on a floor 2, side walls 4 having windows 6 therein and .joined together by roof structure '8, which is also joined to the end walls! of 'thefc'ar. As shown in Figsl and 2 the r'i'ghthand end of the car-is provided with a vestibule entranceilz, while the left hand end of Tthe ca'r shown .in Fig. 52 is .provided with spaces M for the storage of Icalr supplies and the accommodation of the switch -gearand airconditioning equipment. .As-ole'arly shown in Figs. 1 and .2 the bulk of the rooms is hown as intended for ordinary day'useal'thou'g'h the oneiroom Afhas been shown withi'tsentrance doormoved to the position normallyused only at times when the occupant woul'dbe retiring. In Fig. 2roo'ms B areshown as made up Zfor night use, while room C is shown s rnade'up by the passenger so that he may recline alongside "the "window during the daytime.

'As clearly shown in .Fii'gs. 1 and "2 the rooms are arranged in pairs on either side of the central aisle D. The room pairs-are bounded "by the 'car side walls and by the aisle walls 20 which are joined to the car side "walls by transverse partitions 22. Intermediate the transverse partitions 22 are stubpar'titions 2'4 joined to the car side wall at one edge and carrying at the other inner edge hinged doors 26. As shown most clearly in Fig. '3 these doors 26 my swing 'from a fully open position parallel to the car-side walls to an angular position indicated in full lines in Fig. '3. The vertical abutting edges of the doors or panels 26-28 are provided with any conventional form of fastener for locking these parts together, such locks being-operated by mean of -ahandle shown at in Fig. '5. In this angular position the doors 2fi"m'ee't hinged flaps 28 pivota lly connected to the aisle wa-ll stri1ctiire adjacent the "edges of door opening '30. The 'fiap's 28 will normally be carried in a position s'u'b'stan tially at right angles to the aisle wall but can be unlocked and moved to the broken line position of Fig. 3, in which position they ean cooperate with the door -26 to give an increased dressi-n'g space'for t he occupantsof the-room. Inc'ase the paired rooms are sold for ram-11y occupancy a sliding door '32 ma be moved across the hoorway, in which case the doors 26 need not'be used to secure privacy for the family. With "the slidin'g doors closed, the 'doo'rs'2 6 may be placed parallel to the car side Walls, that is, in the position shown in room E of Fig. "2. k

'Mcu'nted on either side of the stub artitions 24 are preferably unit assemblies, comprising a toilet bowl or hopper unit T, above which is carried a folding wash basin or lavatory unit L, while above the wash basin is mounted a cabinet M for toilet articles or medicines. As shown the toilet bowl or hopper unit is provided with an upholstered lid 34 thus permitting its use as a seat in the room. It will be seen that by arranging the toilet cabinets as shown they will be completely hidden from aisle view when doors 26 are thrown back as shown in room E Fig. 2.

Each room is provided with movable seats S of the type in which the back and arms at least can fold downwardly so as to be out of the way when the bed is in its down-folded or operative position. Each room is also provided with a couch 36 hinged to the side wall by means of an angle or other structure 38 and adapted to hang vertically alongside the car wall when in an inoperative position and to be supported in a substantially horizontal position extending along the car beneath the window as shown in Fig. 6. In the horizontal or operative position of the couch legs 40 will fold. down out of the couch into engagement with the car floor so as to support the couch and its occupants. Mounted on the room side of the transverse partitions 42 are wardrobes W adapted to receive clothing or other passenger articles and these wardrobes, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and '7, do not extend downwardly to the floor but terminate at a point above the bed when in its inoperative position. Baggage racks 42 are also provided in each room and these racks are mounted on the stub partitions 24 which, of course, extend from car side wall to aisle wall above the o enings for doors 26 and 32.

The bed 50 will normally be carried in a vertical position alongside the aisle wall 2!] as most clearly seen in Fig. 4. The bed is provided on its ends adjacent one side edge with pins 52 adapted to slide vertically in slots formed in guide structures 54 carried on partitions 22 and narrow end members 56 fastened to the aisle wall adjacent the edges of door Opening 30. One of the ends adjacent the opposite side of the bed is also provided with a pin 58 adapted to slide in a curved slot formed in a guide member 60 fastened on the transverse partition 22. The weight of the bed is mainly counterbalanced by a spring or other resilient member 62 anchored at one end to the aisle wall 20 adjacent the ce ling 64 and connected at its other end to a block 66. The block 66 has connected thereto two cables 68, one of which connects directly to a pin 52, the other of which fastens around pulleys for connection with the other pin 52. Looks, of course, are provided on narrow partitions 56 so as to hold the bed against accidental displacement. Upon release of the locks the bed may be pushed laterally toward the car side wall with the sprin or other resilient member 62 lifting the lower side of the bed until it has assumed its horizontal position as shown by broken lines in Figs. 4 and 5. The same locks which held the bed in its inoperative position may be used to lock the inner or aisle side of the bed in its horizontal or operative position. The outer or window side of the bed will not require any locks since its own weight will retain it against movement due to its engagement with angle structure 38 on which the couch 36 is mounted. When it is desired to lower the bed it is, of course, first necessary to fold the chair S, after which the bed may be moved to its horizontal position by a person standing at the end of the bed and where necessary in the space 211-.

4 tained by moving the door 26 and flap 28 to the broken line position of Fig. 3 or to the full line position of room A Fig. 1. Y I

By arranging the room and'mounting the bed as described a bed of full length and approximately forty-five inches width can be made available in each room while still leaving suflicient space for bed operation in absolute privacy. Provision of such a bed extending substantially the entire distance from side wall to aisle wall of a standard railway car will permit occupancy of the room by two persons. In case the room has two occupants it may be desirable to add another loose seat S, although the second occupant may wish to use the folding couch 35 extending alongside the window and preferably provided with an inclinable portion such as is used in hospital and other beds.

While the railroad car has been described more or less in detail with specific reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of parts may be made and all such modifications and rearrangements of parts are contemplated as will fall within the scope of the appended claims defining my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A railway car having a central aisle and a space on either side of the aisle and each space being defined by transverse walls joining an aisle wall and a side wall, a pair of beds in each said space and disposed in end to end relationship along said aisle wall, an aisle door opening in said aisle wall disposed between the adjacent ends of the beds and giving access to said space, said aisle door opening and beds together occupying substantially all of the aisle wall joining the transverse walls of each space, an aisle door slidably carried by said aisle wall and slidable to cover said door opening, a stub transverse partition extending from the side wall toward said aisle door, a pair of doors hinged to the inner edge of said partition and each extending when closed from the partition substantially to the inner edge of the adjacent bed to divide said space into a pair of rooms each having a 'bed which when in use occupies substantially the entire floor area of the room.

2. A railway car having a central aisle and a. space on at least one side thereof defined by transverse walls joining an aisle wall and a side wall, a pair of beds in said space disposed in end to end relationship along said aisle wall, an aisle door opening in said aisle wall and occupying substantially the entire aisle wall between the adjacent ends of the beds, an aisle door slidably carried by said aisle Wall and slidable to cover said door opening and to give access to said space, a stub transverse partition extending from the side wall toward said aisle door, a pair of doors hinged to the inner edge of said partition and each extending when closed from the partition substantially to the inner edge of the adjacent bed to divide said space into a pair of rooms each having a longitudinally disposed bed therein, said pair of doors and aisle door defining a common entry way for each room adjacent an end of the bed.

3. A railway car having a central aisle and a space on at least one side thereof defined by transverse walls joining an aisle wall and a side wall, an aisle door closing a doorway disposed in said aisle wall intermediate, said transverse walls, narrow partitions extending said space ess-64pm "eithersidedf the aisle"d'oorway, eeirer -teaem "saidspace'an'd each disposed longitudinally' alon'g "amaisle wall"and-occupyingsubstantially" theent'ire'aislewall between a narrow partition and the "adjacent transverse "wall, "a "stub transverse wall connected "to said "side 'wall and extending transversely(if the'carintermediate the lplariesof said narrow partitions doors hingedto saithsinib transverse walland cooperating with' sa-idnarrow partitions to divide said space into a pair of rooms each having alongitudinally disposed bed therein.

4. -A railway oar having -=-a central aisle and 7 a space on at least one side thereof sensed by transverse" walls joining lan aislewallz'and a side wall, an aisle door closing a doorway disposed in said aisle wall intermediate said transverse walls, :narrowpartitions extending intois'aid spaceeither tsideo'f theiai'sl'e doorway, ap'air'tof beds in :said :space and each extending longitudinall Id'f the :aisle fwallirom an'arrow "partition to the adjacent transverse wall, a stub "transverse'wall "connected to said side wall and extending transversely of the car intermediate the planes of said narrow partitions, doors hinged to said stub transverse wall and cooperating with said narrow partitions to divide said space into a pair of rooms, said narrow partitions each including a flap hinged thereto and swingable away from the adjacent bed and having its free edge cooperable with the free edge of its associated door to provide increased dressing space at the end of the bed.

5. A railway car having a central aisle defined by spaced aisle walls, a transverse wall joining a side wall and an aisle wall to define three sides of a room at one side of the aisle, a bed extending laterally along the aisle wall and when in inoperative position being vertically disposed alongside said aisle wall and movable to an operative horizontal position substantially spanning the space between the aisle wall and side wall, and a door at least partially defining the fourth wall of said room and giving access thereto at the end of the bed, said bed when in operative position also substantially spanning the space between said door and transverse wall.

6. A railway car having a central aisle defined by spaced aisle walls, a transversewall joining a side wall and an aisle wall to define three sides of a room at one side of the aisle, a bed extending laterally along the aisle wall and when in inoperative position being vertically disposed alongside said aisle wall and movable to an operative horizontal position substantially spanning the space between the aisle wall and side wall, and a door at least partially defining the fourth wall of said room and giving access thereto at the end of the bed, said bed when in operative position also substantially spanning the space between said door and transverse wall, said door when closed being angularly disposed relative to said bed to give dressing space within said room at the end of the bed when in operative position.

7. A railway car having a central aisle defined by spaced aisle walls, a transverse wall joining a side wall and an aisle wall to define three sides of a room at one side of the aisle, a bed extending laterally along the aisle wall and when in inoperative position being vertically disposed on its side alongside said aisle wall and movable to an operative horizontal position substantially spanning the space between the aisle wall and side wall, a stub transverse wall connected to the side wall and extending toward the aisle wall 6 n apiarre ispaeed' rrem a eiane tnreugh the aliijaeent -erid of 'the bed, a-tdiletmnit dispbsed 'i'n said -ro'om '-"a attached "to said istub transverse wall, "a door hinged "to said stub wall and when 5 "closed "extending atan angle *th'ereto tdpror'ida adressin'g space in the 'reem bounded partly by said bed, toilet unit anddobr-ahdsalid bed hen in ppe'rative horizontal"position-overlapping of said toilet unit and extending substantially 'm from said door to said transversewall.

, 8. iA railwaycarhaving aj central ai'slede'fined *by "spaced "aisle walls, a transverse 'w '1' thing is; 's'iTdeWaIPanEian aisle "wall todefinethree sities =cif "a 'rciom"at"one s'ide fof the aisle, abedwheh on "its side "alongside said faisle wall andfmova'b'le to anop'erative horizontal position substantially spanningtheentire space between the'transverse "wall, "aisle wall and side wall, a stub transverse wall "connected "to the si'itle 'Wa'll and "extending t'owardthe "aisle 'w'all in'a plane adjacent t but 's'pace'd fr'ome plane through the adjacent and tifthebted, a'toilet'unit disposed in said teemana attached "to "said stub "transverse wall, a door 5 hinged to said stub wall and when closed extending at an angle thereto to provide a dressing space in the room bounded partly by said bed, toilet unit and door, and a couch pivoted to said side wall and swingable from a vertical to a horizontal position when said bed is in its inoperative posia space to one side thereof defined by transverse walls joining an aisle wall and a side wall, an aisle opening disposed in said aisle wall intermediate the planes oi. said transverse walls, a stub'transverse wall extending from said side 40 wall toward the center of said aisle opening and terminating in spaced relation thereto, toilet units disposed on either side of said stub transverse wall, and doors hinged to said stub wall at the inner end thereof adjacent the toilet units and 5 oppositely swingable to open position paralleling.

said side and aisle walls and when open hiding said toilet units from view through said aisle opening.

10. A railway car having a central aisle and a space to one side thereof defined by transverse walls joining an aisle wall and a side wall, an aisle opening disposed in said aisle wall inter mediate the planes of said transverse walls, a fixed stub transverse wall extending from said side wall toward the center of said aisle opening tially dividing said space into a pair of adjoining rooms, a pair of doors hinged to the inner edge of said stub wall and oppositely swingable to an in line open position paralleling said aisle wall and when closed defining with said walls said pair of rooms, and an aisle door closing said aisle opening whereby said rooms may be joined by a straight sided passageway defined by said aisle door and pair of doors when the latter are in open position.

11. A railway car having a central aisle and a space to one side thereof defined by transverse walls joining an aisle wall and a side wall, an (1 aisle opening disposed in said aisle wall intermediate the planes of said transverse walls, a

stub transverse wall extending from said side wall toward the center of said aisle opening but terminating short thereof, toilet units disposed 5 on either side of said stub transverse wall, doors hinged to said stub wall adjacent the inner vertical edge thereof and oppositely swingable to open position paralleling and intermediate said aisle and side walls and when in such open position hiding said toilet units from view through said aisle opening, and an aisle door slidably carried by said aislewall for closing said aisle opening and defining with said first named doors when closed a triangular shaped entry space for access to either room.

12. A railway car having a central aisle defined by spaced side walls, a transverse wall joining aside wall of the car and an aisle wall to define three sides of a room at one side of the aisle, a bed extending longitudinally of the car and in inoperative position being disposed vertically on its side edge alongside aisle wall and being movable to an operative horizontal position substantially spanning the entire space between the transverse wall, aisle wall and side wall, said bed being accessible for occupancy from the end opposite said transversewall, means for supporting said bed along its longitudinal edges when in its horizontal operative position, and a closure for the opening at the end of the room opposite the transverse wall, said closure including a plurality of vertical panels of diverse areas mounted at opposite sides of said opening for relative swinging movement, said mountings being ofl'set longitudinally of the car and one of said mountings being immediately adjacent the end of the bed, and means for connecting the adjacent edges of said panels.

ROBERT A. SHIELDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 819,196 Abbot May 1, 1906 1,011,952 Hansen Dec. 19, 1911 1,569,754 Hutt Jan. 12, 1926 2,147,011 Crawford Feb. 14, 1939 2,232,263 Patton Feb. 18, 1941 2,364,595 Tully et al Dec. 5, 1944 

